Things to do in São Vicente
São Vicente is the island of Mindelo, Cabo Verde's music town, with windsurfing at São Pedro, Carnival before Lent and the ferry to Santo Antão's hiking trails.
São Vicente is the island of Mindelo, Cabo Verde's music town, with windsurfing at São Pedro, Carnival before Lent and the ferry to Santo Antão's hiking trails.
Two or three nights is enough for most people. That gives you an evening of live music in Mindelo, a morning on Monte Verde and an afternoon at São Pedro or Baía das Gatas. Stay longer if you're here for Carnival or the August festival, when the town is at its busiest and rooms go quickly.
The island is dry and warm all year, so timing depends on what you want. Carnival falls on the Tuesday before Lent, usually in February. The Baía das Gatas music festival takes over the east coast on the August full moon. For windsurfers, the trade wind at São Pedro is strongest from about November to May.
Ferries leave Mindelo for Porto Novo several times a day, and the crossing takes about an hour. You can usually buy a ticket at the port on the day, though weekends and holidays get busier. Arrive in good time, because boarding closes shortly before departure. If you're prone to seasickness, sit low down and near the back, since the channel can be lumpy.
Yes. With the early ferry out and the late one back, a driver can take you over the mountain road to the Cova crater. From there you can walk down into the Paul valley before heading back to the port. It's a long day. If hiking is the point of your trip, spend at least three nights on Santo Antão so you can walk the coastal path and the valleys at an easy pace.
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